Carrier.



s. c. GARDNER, 0. CHASE & 0., v. KENT. CARRIER. APPLIGATIQR FILED MAY12, 1908. RENEWED MAR. 19, 1910.

960,534. Patented June 7,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ANDREW a GRAHAM co v PuoTc-umnmmpusns WASHINGTON. 0. a

S G. GARDNER, G.- CHASB & C. V. KENT- CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1908. ammwsn MAR. 19, 1910.

960,534, Patented June 7, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANDREW B. GRAHAM $0.. vnomumocnnrms WAsulNuTcN. up.

S. G. GARDNER, U. CHASE & O. V; KENT.

I CARRIER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 12, 1908. RENEWED MAR. 19, 1910.

960,534, Patented June 7, 1910,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ANDREW B. GRAHAM so" PHow-umcsmmm WASHINGTON. up

S. GLGARDNER, C. CHASE & C. V. KENT.

CARRIER. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 12, 1908. RENEWED MAR..19, 1910.

Patented June 7, 1910.

4 SHEETS-BHBET 4.

ANDREW H. GRAHAM OQFPNdTO-LITNOGRAPNERS. WASNINGYON. D. c.

nnrrnn STATES PATENT GFFKCE.

SYLVESTER C. GARDNER, OF SWANSEA, AND CLARK CHASE, 0F FALL RIVER, MASSA-CHUSETTS, AND CHARLES V. KENT, OF BANGOR, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Application filed May 12, 1908, Serial No. 432,554. Renewed March 19,1910. Serial No. 550,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SYLvEs'rEn C. GARD- NER, CLARK CHASE, and OI-IARLEsV. KENT, all citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, atSwansea, in the county of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, atFall River, in said county and Commonwealth, and at Bangor, in thecounty of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented acertain new and use- ,ful Improvement in Carriers, of which the carrierbecomes unlocked from its support,

the operator loses control of the carrier, which, in spite of theoperator, and through the action of the weight of the load, moves alongits support with a speed sufficient to permit the load to descend ordrop into its seat, sometimes with objectionable force.

Now one of the principal objects of our invention is to provide such acarrier, with means whereby the carrier remains locked to its supportuntil the load has found its seat in the carrier. And we attain thisobject by providing a movable seat for the load, so connected withgripping mechanism of the carrier, that the latter remains in lockingengagement with the support, until the load by engaging its seat, movesthe seat and connected parts, and causes the gripping mechanism todisengage the support. In other words, the operator always has controlof the load, and there can be no drop.

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby themovements of the load are utilized to control the movements of the seat,into and out of the path of the load, to enable the load to becomefastened to, and unfastened from, the carrier. And we attain this objectby so connecting the seat to the gripping mechanism, and by so designingthe seat and the releasing apparatus, that while the gripping mechanismis holding the carriage locked to its sup port, the seat may becontrolled by the moving load, and be moved into and out of the path ofthe load, for the purpose of confining the load to, and permitting it toescape from, the carrier.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of our invention, and thebest mode now known to us of applying that principle, F igure 1 shows acarrier, and a grab-bucket. Figs. 2 and 3 are end elevations, showingthe carrier, and only the head of the bail of the bucket; Figs. 4, 5, 6and 7 show the carrier with its front plate and gripping jaw removed, todisclose, in various successive positions, the cooperating partscontrolled by the upward and the downward movements of the head of thebucket; Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the changes due to the upward movement;the releasing tongue, connecting parts, and spring being omitted for thesake of clearness; while Figs. 6 and 7 make plain what takes placebecause of the downward movement of the load, to release the bucket fromthe carrier. Fig. 8 shows a modified form adapted for use in connectionwith a load which, unlike a grab-bucket, is not to be dumped, and doesnot require the use of a second, or opening fall.

A support or trolley rope or cable A, Figs. 1, 2, 8, has, movablymounted thereon, a carrier B which sustains a load C, here shown in theform of a grab-bucket.

For the sake of simplicity and economy the carrier is, as far aspossible throughout, made up of counterpart construction; that is, eachpart is made up of united duplicates. The carrier B has a skeletonframe, the front D and the back E of which consist of parallel members,and have, mounted between them, trolley wheels F, and other cooperatingparts, to be fully described later. As the front D and the back E aresymmetrical, only one, as D, will be described in detail. A trolleywheel plate a, having bearings therein for trolley wheels F, hasdepending therefrom, and at right angles thereto, four other plates 6,0, (Z, a, two of which 0, (Z, are centrally located between the trolleywheels, and have secured thereto a slotted plate f, to serve as a guideto the incoming and outgoing load C. Parallel with the trolley wheelplate a, and at about one half of the length of the depending plates 1),0, (l, e, is a cross plate g, fixed to the depending plates; while tothe lower portions of each pair of adjacent inner and outer dependingplates, 7), (1, and (Z, 6, are

opposite to the beveled edge 2', extends outwardly beyond the outerdepending plate 7). It is to be understood that all these mem-. bers arerigidly secured together. by suitable means, as bolts, rivets, and thelike;

A pair of gripping jaws G is hinged to a block fixed between the trolleywheelplates a, of the frame, and straddles the trolley rope, each jawbeing provided with an out-' wardly extending lever arm H. 'To movethese lever arms, and hence the jaws, simultaneously into and out ofgripping engage ment with the trolley rope, there is a grip bar 1, madeup of a pair of duplicate pieces 2, in parallel arrangement, and rigidlysecured together by a pivot 3 passing through them and the dependingplates 6, and secured by nuts; by a rod 4, through their opposite endportion, and nuts; and by a similar rod 5 which forms a bearing for twogripping sheaves, one 6, a hoisting fall sheave, and the other 7,anopening fall sheave. This latter rod 5 extends through, and out from,the sides'of the grip bar 1, see Figs, 2 and 3,'and has journaledsurfaces for two collars 8, provided with ears 9. To adjustably connecteach one of these.

collars with its adjacent lever arm H of the gripping jaws G, two screwmembers 10, havingopposite screw threads and a nut 11, are used; one endportion of one member being bifurcated to be secured to its respectivelever by a pin 12, and the corre sponding end of the other member beingse- A cured between the ears .of its respective collar, by a similar pin13. The gripping jaws G are thus operatively connected to the grip bar1; the upward movement ofwhich opens the jaws and unlocks the carrierfrom the trolley rope; and the downward movement of which, closes theaws and locks the carrier to the trolley rope. Over the hoisting sheave6 runs a hoisting fall J while leading over the opening sheave 7 is anopening fall K. [Vhen the load is borne by either the hoisting'fall, orthe opening fall, or by both, the load acting downward, closes the jaws,and. the carrier becomes locked to the trolley rope.

, So much of the apparatus as has above been shown and described,embodies the principle of employing the weight of a load to operategripping mechanism on the carrier, to lock the latter to its support;this principle being disclosed in United, States Letters Patent No.859,542, and issued to We will now describe the 'mechanism whichcontrols the grip bar 1, and hence the jaws G, and enables the carrierto remain locked to the trolley rope until the load has founditsseat inthe carrier; and to become unlocked by the load leaving its seat Amovable seat or bolt 20, is pivotedto a link 21, which is likewisepivoted to a bearing bolt 22 fixed in'the longitudinal cross plate 9;this movable seat 20 is also pivoted to a connecting link 28,pivotallyconnected to the free end portion of. the grip bar 1. One endportion of the seat normally lies across the load guide slot f; itsunder part being beveledupward to receive the thrust of the incomingload, and its upper part being hollowed," as at 25, to receive and.support the load. Aspring 26, Fig. 1, connected to the frame and theseat, tends to hold the seat in its normal'position; a pin 27 limitingthe forward movement of the seat.

That the load may escape from itsseat and the carrier, releasing meansoperated by the moving load are used. releasing tongue 30, Figs. 1, 6,7, 8, is pivoted to the members d, by bolt'31; the free arm of saidtongue extends across the load slot f, while American Cable way Companyassignee,

July 9, 1907.

its other arm is connected by a link'3-it'to an arm 35 of a throwinglever 36, which is pivoted to the diagonal braces 7', and has its otherand depending arm in sliding engages ment with the pin .27 in the boltseat. The

positions of the pivots of these levers, and their lengths, andproportions are such that the extreme downward movement of the reiooleasing tongue will cause the seat to move back and away frornthe loadslot, and permit the load to passdown by the seat, and

thus escape from the carrier, all, of which will be made plainhereinafter.

e To. carry out our inventiornany load may be'used, provided ithas'suitable means to engage and operate the seat. The form of load usedby usis that of a grab-bucket described and claimedin United StatesLet-V ters Patent, for improvements inv grabbuckets, No. 882,666,issuedMarch 24,1908,

lic

to Clark Chase, one of the present joint inventors; hence we haveillustrated that form.

r A cross bar 50 connects the sides of the bail of the bucket, and isdesigned to engage the beyeled edge24 of the seat orbolt 2Q, enter theload slot, rest in theseat,an d operf ate the releasing tongue 30, I,The hoisting fall: J passes through a hole in this bar50, and is ecuredto the closing sheave L in the grab-bucket. 7 .7 N w 7 h r p n Theopening fall K, after passing over the opening. sheaves 7, passes overthe guide pulley N, and then becomes connected to the grab-bucket by aspreader or rod 0, the ends 'ofwhich, byropes, are connected to oppositesides of the head M of the bucket; so as to prevent the grab-bucket fromtwisting, and

to keep the cross bar 50 of the bucket, in theplane of the load guideslot f, and allow it freely to enter the slot. Should the opening fall Kbe held taut, and the hoisting fall J slackened, the grab-bucket wouldopen; and, vice versa, should the opening fall K be loosened, and thehoisting fall J tightened, the grab-bucket would close. But whether thebucket may be prevented from twisting, or may be opened and closed, areimmaterial facts in so far as our invention is concerned; all of whichwill be even more evident when Fig. 8 of the drawings is consideredherein.- after.

The operation of the carrier B and the load C, here shown as agrab-bucket, may be described as follows: They may be assumed to be inthe position shown in Fig. 1. The load C is suspended below the carrier,by the hoisting fall J, which, through its sheave 6, is acting on thegripping arms H and aws G. The latter grip the trolley rope A, and thecarrier is locked fast to the trolley rope. As long as the load issustained by the hoisting fall, just so long will the carrier be lockedto the trolley rope, regardless of whether the hoisting fall is movingor is stationary, or of what the relative positions'of the carrier andthe load, are. WVe will next assume that the load is to become removablyfastened to the carrier, as it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Thehoisting fall J, and hence the load or grab-bucket C, is raised bysuitable meansas a drum engine, not -shownand as it rises, the cross bar50 of the bail of the bucket, is guided by the beveled edges 2' of theguide plates h, Fig. 4, into the slot, where it engages the beveled edge24 of the movable seat 20, which normally lies across the guide slot. Asthe cross bar continues its upward movement, the hook is forced back outof the path of the ascending cross bar, and assumes the position,inclicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and permitted by the pivoted link21, and the connecting link 23. After the cross bar has passed up by theend of the seat 20, the upward movement of the fall is stopped, and theseat and links tend, of their own weight, to return to normal positionacross the guide slot; but to insure its return, the spring 26, only oneend of which is indicated in Fig. 4, contributes its energy to bringabout the movement of the seat. The load still being borne by thehoisting fall, the carrier remains locked to the trolley rope. The nextstep is to lower the cross bar 50, of the grab-bucket into the seat. Thehoisting fall J is lowered, and as it descends, the cross bar contactsits seat, as is shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The seat being pivotallyconnected to the link 21, which is also pivoted to the frame of thecarrier, the weight of the load, acting through the cross bar, moves theforward portion of the seat downward about the pivotal connection withthe link 21, and the rear portion upward, this downward movement beingarrested by a stop 37. The connecting link 23, and grip bar 1, are thusmoved upward until the seat engages the stop 37; but this upwardmovement of the bar operates the gripping jaws and causes them torelease the trolley, and free the carrier so that it may be moved alongthe trolley; but the release of the jaws does not take place until afterthe cross bar 50 of the bucket is in its seat, as is shown in full linesin Fig. 5, and the operator has allowed the hoisting fall, and hence thecross bar, to descend enough to move the seat into the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 5, at which time the load ceases to be borne by thehoisting fall J, shown in dotted lines, and is supported by the seat. Infine, there is no time during the operation of securing the load to thecarrier, that the load is not under the control of the operatinghoistingfall J; and consequently the objectionable drop, found in carriers whichmay be unlocked from the trolley rope when the cross bar of the bucketis above, but not in, its hook, is obviated. The carrier now being freefrom locking engagement with the trolley rope, may be moved along thetrolley by the hoisting fall J in one direction, or by the opening fallKshown in Fig. 1, but not in Fig. 5, to avoid confusionin the oppositedirection.

To allow the load to escape from the carrier, the opening fall K, Fig.1, or the rope P,'Fig. 8, is held stationary, in relation to thehoisting fall J. The load, and hence the cross bar 50 of thegrab-bucket, is lifted out of the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.5, but the moment it ascends, the weight of the load acts on thehoisting gripping sheave 6, and just as fast as the hoisting fall Jmoves up, the weight of the load, acting through the sheave grip bar 1,connecting link 23, and seat 20, causes the seat to follow up under thecross bar; and when the seat has moved up enough, it permits thedescending grip bar 1, turning about its pivot 3, and moved downward byreason of the weight of the load, to draw the gripping jaws G intogripping engagement with the trolley rope A, and the carrier becomesfirmly locked thereto. But the hoisting fall J continues the upwardmovement of the cross bar 50, in the guide slot. This bar engages theunder side of the releasing-tongue 30, lying in the path of the crossbar, and moves the tongue out of the path, and passes above it, thecross bar being shown in full lines in Fig. 6, in the act of justpassing by the free end of the tongue. The moment it passes by, and thelink 21, connecting link 23, seat 20, releasing. tongue 30, connectinglink 34, and throwing lever 36 engaging the pin 27 in the seat, are allinthe positions shown in'full lines, the action of spring 26 causes saidparts to snap back into normal position, which is indicated in dottedlines, Fig. 6. The cross bar of the load, now being above the releasingtongue 30, is allowed to descend, and as it does so, it, as shown indotted lines, engages the top surface of the releasing tongue, and,pushing the tongue down, finally passes by the end of the releasingtongue, and it and all of the connected parts assume the variouspositions shown in full lines in Fig. 7 ;Y but it will be noticed thatthe seat has been moved back or out of the path of the descending crossbar, and the load is freed from the carrier, and, after the cross barhas passed by the hook, the spring again causes all of the parts toassume their normal position indicated in dotted lines. The load,represented by the cross bar 50,.being free from the carrier, may beraised, lowered, and when in the form of a grab-bucket, may be openedand closed in an obvious and well known mamier; the means employed,constituting no 'part of our invention. The grab-bucket and carrier arenow in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the cycleof operations involvedin getting the loadinto its seat in the carrier before the carrier wasreleased from its trolley rope; in releasing the carrier from itstrolley rope after the load had found its seat in the carrier; ingetting the load outof the carrier, by locking the carrier to thetrolley rope before the load got out of its seat inthe carrier; and byutilizing the movement of the load to control the removal of -the seatfrom the path 'of the escaping load or grab-bucket; is completed. Ourinvention is shown in Fig. 8 embodied in a carrier not designed to beused with a grab-bucket requiring a dumping rope. A sim le hauling ropeP .is substituted for the dumping rope K, and is made fast to thecarrier, as by a hook Q, engagin a pin R in the frame 0. The bar 60secured to the hoisting fall J, serves theipurpose of the cross bar 50of the grab-bucket shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive.

It will now be plain that our carrier may be used with any kind of aload provided the hoisting fall has suitable means to"control themovable seat and the load releasing mechanism. i

Desiring to protect our inventionin the broadest manner legallypossible, what, we claim is I i In 'a carrier'mov'ably mounted upon asupport, and provided with gripping mech anism to engage the support,and with a hoisting fall operatively connected to the grippingmechanism, to" sustaina load a seat forthe load, operatively connectedwith the gripping mechanism, the" movement of said seat into position'to engage and support said load, being controlled by the'mov ing load.7 v 7 2. In a carrier movably mounted upon a" support, and provided witha gripping mechanism to engage the support, and with a hoisting fall tosustain a load; a movable support, and provided with gripping mechanismto engage the support, with a hoisting fall to sustain a load, and witha fall to haul and hold the carrier; a movable seat for said load,operatively connected with said gripping mechanism, and adapted to be socontrolled by the moving load as to move into position to engage andsupport said load, but also to be moved by the load 'to cause thegripping mechanism to disengage the support.

t. In a carrier movably mounted upon a support, and provided withgripping mechanism to grip thesupport, a hoisting fall to sustain aload, and a hauling fall; a movable seat for said load, operativelyconnected with said gripping mechanism,and so designed as to permit notonly the moving load to move by and above said seat, but also the latterto move into position to support the load; and means controlled by themoving load whereby theseat may be caused not to support the load,andpermit the load to escape from the carrier.

5. In acarrier movablymounted upon a support, andprovided with grippingmechanism to engage the support; a pivoted bar" operatively connected tosaid mechanism; a sheave mounted in said bar; a hoisting fall. tosustain a load, engaging said sheave; a movable seat for the loadoperatively con: nected with the pivoted bar adapted ,to be socontrolled by the moving load as to move into position to engage andsupport said load.

6. In a carrier movably mounted upona support, and provided with agripping mechanism to engage the support; a pivoted bar operativelyconnected to said mechanism; a sheave .mounted in said bar; a

hoisting fall to sustain, a load, engaging, said sheave; a movable seatfor the load, opera tively connected with said pivoted bar, and

adapted to be moved by the load to cause the bar to move the grippingmechanism out of engagement with the support.

7. In a'carrier movably mounted upon a support, and provided .withgripping 1nech-.

anism to engage the support; a pivoted bar operatively connected to saidmechanism; a 1 sheave mounted in saidbar; a ho sting fall to sustain aload, engaging said sheave; a

hauling fall; a movable seat for said load, mounted on two dependinglinks, one of which is connected to the free end of the pivoted baroperatively connected with said gripping mechanism, and the other to theframe of the carrier, said seat lying normally in the path of the movingload, and having a beveled edge to be engaged by the incoming load sothat the latter may force the seat back and pass by and above the seat;all being so designed that the load may be lowered into the seat, themovement of which causes the gripping mechanism to disengage thesupport.

8. In a carrier movably mounted upon a support, and provided withgripping mechanism to grip the support; a pivoted. bar operativelyconnected to said mechanism; a sheave mounted in said bar; a hoistingfall to sustain a load, engaging said sheave; a hauling fall; a movableseat suspended from two links, one depending from the free end of thepivot bar, and the other from the frame, said seat lying normally in thepathof the moving load, and having an upwardly inclined beveled edge tobe engaged by the incoming load to permit it to pass by; and being sopivoted to the sand links that when the load descends into the seat, theconnecting link, bar and gripping mechanism are so moved that the latterdisengages the support; means lying in the path of the moving load, andoperatively connected to the seat, whereby the moving load causes saidmeans to move said seat out of the path of the descending load, andpermit it to escape from the carrier.

In testimony whereof each of us affixes our signature in the presence oftwo Wit-

